VW Touran Cooling Fan Failure Causing Engine Overheat

Having moderate experience with VW cooling systems, I had a similar issue with my 2018 VW Tiguan. The engine cooling fan wasnt engaging properly, leading to overheating problems. Initially thought it was the fan motor, but after taking it to the workshop, they diagnosed a faulty speed sensor in the cooling system. The sensor wasnt sending the correct signals to activate the fan. Total repair cost was 250€, including parts and labor. The fix took about 3 hours. The symptoms match what youre describing, quick temperature rise and silent fan operation. However, to provide more specific guidance, could you share: Does the overheating occur mainly in city traffic or also on highways? Are you noticing any coolant leaks? When was the last time you had the cooling system serviced? Does the car radiator fan ever turn on, even briefly? Are there any unusual noises from the engine bay? Worth checking the coolant level and condition first. Sometimes air pockets in the cooling system can cause similar symptoms. The workshop should perform a pressure test on the system to rule out leaks before replacing parts.

Just had my 24k service last month. The overheating happens mostly in stop-and-go traffic. No coolant leaks visible and levels are good. The fan blade seems completely inactive, never kicks in even when the engine is really hot. The car radiator itself looks clean with no obvious damage. I can confirm there are no weird sounds from the engine bay besides the lack of fan noise. After reading about thermal switches, I checked mine visually but cant spot any obvious issues. I appreciate the repair cost info, 250€ seems reasonable if its the speed sensor. Planning to take it to a shop this week, but wanted to gather some insights from the community first to avoid getting overcharged for unnecessary parts. Follow up question, did your fan immediately start working properly after the sensor replacement, or did it need some additional programming?

Thanks for those extra details. Yes, in my case with the Tiguan, the car radiator fan started working immediately after the speed sensor replacement, no additional programming needed. The thermal switch and sensor communicate directly with the cooling system, so its typically a plug-and-play fix. The symptoms youre describing match my experience exactly, especially the fan being completely inactive in stop-and-go traffic. These VW cooling systems are pretty straightforward, when a sensor fails, they tend to fail completely rather than work intermittently. One thing to note: while my fix was the speed sensor, the shop initially tested the thermal switch as part of their diagnostic process. This is standard procedure since both components can cause similar symptoms. The complete diagnostic check on the cooling system took about an hour before they pinpointed the exact issue. Since your service history is current and coolant levels are good, Id put money on either the speed sensor or thermal switch being the culprit. When you take it in, make sure they test both components, replacing one without checking the other could mean a return visit if they guess wrong. The total diagnostic and repair time should be 3-4 hours maximum, assuming no other issues are found. Just keep monitoring your temperature gauge closely until you get it to the shop to avoid any engine damage from car overheating.

Thanks for the input. Based on all the feedback, I feel more confident about the repair now. My car overheating issues sound nearly identical to what was described with the speed sensor problem. Just booked an appointment with my local shop for tomorrow morning. I specifically asked them to check both the temperature control components, the thermal switch and speed sensor, during their diagnosis. The estimated 3-4 hour repair time and potential 250€ cost seems fair given the work involved. Will make sure to request they check the fan noise and blade movement after the repair to confirm everything is working correctly. Meanwhile, Im avoiding heavy traffic and keeping a close eye on the temperature gauge. Thanks again for the detailed guidance. I will update once I get the actual diagnosis and repair completed.